


Epaulett

by EdwardNotSoLittle



Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: 1839, But This One Is Mine, Gen, James Ross Expedition, Jopson just got adopted, There are many others that are NOT like him, This is my steward, YOU'RE MY DAD BOOGIE WOOGIE WOOGIE, and he is also my son, fight me for him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:08:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26150896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EdwardNotSoLittle/pseuds/EdwardNotSoLittle
Summary: At the start of the Ross Expedition Jopson was having a little trouble. Commander Crozier can't stay mad at this adoreable lad. Let's adopt him instead.https://twitter.com/terror_exe/status/1295468439126134784
Comments: 6
Kudos: 19
Collections: @terror_exe Flash Fest





	Epaulett

“Ouch! Bleedin’ Christ!” Francis cried at the sudden stabbing pain in his shoulder at the failed pinning of an epaulet. 

“Oh!” 

Francis jerked when the thing viciously jerked out of his great coat, shirt, and flesh by the nervous hands of his new steward. Thomas Jopson. 

It was his third day on the job and this was the second time the lad had stabbed him while putting the damn things on. 

“Dammit Jopson!” 

“Oh! Pardon me, sir! I apologize, that was my fault. I-I’m still getting used to sewing an handling needles on a rocking ship-”

Commander Crozier couldn’t be mad at the lad, not with him standing there all flustered cheeks, fluffed black hair that had been attempted to be combed neatly and failed because he didn’t put enough product on the comb, pale hazel eyes large and looking very much like he may as well keel over. 

“Lad.” 

“And I’m still trying to get used to the position. I’ve done this before of course but it was of course because the steward on the last ship I sailed suffered injury and they needed someone else-”

“Thomas.” 

“It is very hard to-”

“Jopson!” he shouted the nervous sailor who gulped and stared back at him like he’d grown two extra heads. 

“Sir,” 

“Shut up.” 

“Aye, sir.” 

Francis heaved a sigh and turned, placing a hand on the lad’s shoulder he directed him over to the great cabin table. “Sit.” 

Jopson just stared at him dumbfounded. “Me? But… you mean sit down at the table?” 

The Irishman scoffed sarcastically, “No Jopson, I mean sit on the table,” he pointed at one of the chairs “Of course sit at the table.”

Cheeks flushing even darker, Jopson did as he was told straight away and watched curiously as Francis shrugged out of his great coat that was missing one epaulet. He dragged a chair around in front of Jopson and draped the coat over the back of it before pulling up a chair beside Jopson, the grating of the wooden legs on the floor planks practically had the lad jumping out of his skin and the chair for that matter. Francis actually had to grab the boy’s shoulders to keep him and the chair from toppling to the floor.

He had a feeling he understood what the problem was now. 

It was no secret he had a reputation about the navy at this point, courtesy of his heritage. Then again he’d also heard the rumors from sailor’s mouths himself when they thought he wasn’t listening. It hurt, yes. At this point in his life though he was used to it. 

Irish bastard. An Irish drunk. An insufferable man. Melancholic. No joy. Hard to love. A furious temper. Hard to impress. Hard to get along with. Selfish. 

All things that were quite the opposite… most of them, especially the last one. He cared for his men, he worried for their safety. 

“At ease, Thomas. You don’t have to be so nervous lad.” He said, combing stray bangs with weathered hands from the young man’s eyes briefly before leaning forward to inspect the epaulet that the lad had put on correctly. 

“If I may, sir.” Came the lad’s tentative voice. 

“Speak.” 

“What are you doing?” 

Francis shot the lad a crooked smile, “What does it look like I’m doing? You’re going to show me how these infernal things work and how to put them on.” 

Jopson’s young face fell into quite a horrified expression and Francis laughed heartily already knowing what the lad was thinking, that he was going to do it himself. “At ease Jopson, since we are in no hurry, I figure some practice would do you some good. Maybe instructing someone is just the type of thing you need to ease your focus, eh?” 

The young man’s mouth dropped open as if to protest but alas he could find no words, instead Francis could see the gears turning in his head as if pondering the offer. It wasn’t long before a light blush crossed the boy’s face and he nodded, “Aye, Captain.” 

Young Thomas took some time to gather his bearings before he turned the epaulet still in his hand “So the pin is supposed to go here…”

“Ah, so not in my shoulder after all?” 

Jopson let out the most adorable abashed little laugh that Crozier had ever heard in his life, very boyish, “No, sir.”


End file.
